Path Among Stars
by TheHeartUnknown
Summary: Have you ever wondered what was ever happening during Shepard's journey throughout the Mass Effect Universe? What about all the lives that went about during that time, what were they up to? This story introduces the lives of OC's who embraced that fate.
1. Underlying Motives

Author(s) note: This is a collab story with two of my good friends known as Follwer38, and Kakashi1806 (deviantart). This by no means is meant to twist/damage the Mass Effect universe but to fill in the gaps of "What if?" Thank you for choosing to take time out of your day to read this story and please know that it is greatly appreciated by us three. If you would like to know more about the characters told in the story please visit Kakashi1806's deviant page journal. If you have trouble visualizing the characters please stop by at my Deviantart page: LiveandLoveArt. Thanks again from all of us.

CME, KAKASHI1806, FOLLOWER38

P to the S: Shepard is alive during this time period and there will be brief mentions of her throughout the story, this story is just following underneath the main events of Shepard's journey during Mass Effect 1 and 2 which means that until the events take place during Mass Effect 2's time period, Shepard is currently in Cerberus's custody being rebuilt.

**-End of Author(s) Notes-**

Lennata stepped off from the cab, avoiding a small puddle on the ground, as she observed her surroundings. It was gloomy and dark with only the street lights and signs illuminating the area. Smog clouded the air and trash littered the ground before her, which caused her nose to wrinkle in disgust.

"Omega," she scoffed. Omega was the perfect representation of the underworld for low life criminal and common petty thugs.

She walked calmly through the streets though, she wasn't afraid, after all she was a bounty hunter. Plus, as an Asari she was an expert in biotics. Her dark suit effectively blended into the darkness of the alleyways but as soon as she passed under a light post her armor was exposed beautifully despite it being Omega. Even though her slightly skin tight suit was flat black she was by no means left unprotected. Her left shoulder was padded with a shoulder piece which was centered with a blue orb that seemed to faintly glow an ocean blue, and vambrace. Her other arm though had a silver upper arm band and similar vambrace to match her other. A series of downward arrow pointed plates covered her abdomen down which met with a similar pattern to that of her arms to her legs. Her left leg was plated down to her combat boots shielded with a shin plate. The same was of her right but a silver leg band instead replaced the leg plating that should have been there. Her black suit helped to contrast that of her armor which was snow white with the exception that her upper coat was also white. Lennata reached up and fiddled with the ocean blue orb necklace that rested on her slightly exposed chest beneath her neck.

"Should have known better then to run here Scarab," she muttered lightly. Her task was to bring in a Batarian slaver who had been abducting children throughout the systems. She had a brief encounter with the Batarian known as Scarab and managed to wound him in the shoulder with a Mantis sniper round. The injury though caused him to panic and flee to Omega. An intentional action though as Lennata reasoned the reward is only as good as the hunt. She stopped meddling with her necklace and returned her hand to her side. A long line of humans, elcor, asari, turians, and salarians were lined up in her view. Her feet had brought her knowingly to a club called "After Life" which was owned by the notorious Aria T'loak. Aria was an infamous Asari leader of Omega and she was a force not to be toyed with, even Lennata knew that with the few times she had been to Omega before she became a fully fledged bounty hunter.

"Hmph. Drunks talk all the time. I'm sure someone will have some idea where to find that mutt Scabbard. If I'm lucky he'll be in there." She mused and stepped up to the door of the club, not even minding the line. On her way up though she noticed one of the Turians off to the right reach up and touch his ear piece watching her intently.

"Is there going to be a problem?" she asked flatly, but not rudely.

"Aria wants to see you inside Hunter, so make sure you talk to her first," he boasted trying to seem confident which was quickly extinguished as Lennata passed him a cold serious glance to the side at him. He shifted uncomfortably and then decided to return his attention forward again, swallowing.

The doors parted open and Lennata could feel the bass of the club music beat through her chest. Not that clubbing was her thing, but she couldn't deny the rebellious atmosphere and beat excited her. Orange, purple, and yellow lights flickered and danced around her in sync with the asari dancers positioned nearly just about everywhere her eyes traveled.

All eyes turn to the newcomer as she passes. Unbeknownst to her, one watches from the shadows. While others view her with lust, this one watches with suspicion. His scaled hands grip his drink as he watches her from the corner of his eye. The scars on his chest twinge as his heart quickens.

Lennata felt a sudden chill grip her as she began to notice the eyes turning to her. She knew she stuck out in the crowd but it wasn't the crowd's eyes that seem to bother her. She peered through the eyes and passed over a shadowy figure but only just momentarily. His grip tightens as her eyes pass over him.

Her face…..almost like "hers" but there's a coldness, a void behind those eyes

His mind flashes to that fateful night. _A flashbang! Eclipse mercs with guns raised! She looks at him sadly, and mouths, I'm sorry."_ _They open fire. White hot pain pierces his shoulder. He raises his gun and fires. Two mercs drop, too many, more rounds pierce his chest. His last image is her standing over him, gun in hand-_ He snaps back to reality and searches for the newcomer. He spies her passing Anto on her way up the stairs to Aria's box, and repositions himself so he can see both her and Aria clearly through the window pane. He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small blue pill bottle. He deftly opens it and takes two red capsules, the pain in his chest subsides.

Lennata steps up to Aria, who is seated, and his blocked by two of her guards, Batarians, gripping their weapons tightly. With a trained eye she quickly assesses them and with a smirk knowingly figures she could easily take both of them out without having to use her biotics. The problem would come from the queen herself, she'd take her out before she could finish moving. She knows Aria knows this as well. The purple skinned goddess rose from her seat and the two guards parted immediatly from her view. Lennata stared up at Aria who was slightly elevated higher than herslef.

She folded her arms, creasing the cuffs of her white jacket and stood defiant towards Lennata and grinned, intrigued. "So what is a hunter doing in my part of the Galaxy?" she spoke with authority.

Lennata calmly took a breath and spoke with coolness, " I'm here looking for a lowlife by the name of Draxen." She knew better to avoid answering the question truthfully. On Omega, Aria had eyes and ears everywhere.

With Aria's back to the window, the figure could only make out Lennata's half of the conversation through the interpretation of lip reading. At the mention of the name, the figure stiffens. He was quite familiar with the batarian. The questions becomes though, what possible business could the newcomer have with him?

Aria chuckles and turns to look at the crowd beneath her, showing no fear of turning her back to an Asari bounty hunter. "As you can see there are a lot of lowlifes here," she turned back to Lennata, "I need a bit more information than that."

Lennata knew very well Aria had a general idea of who she was looking for, but she could do nothing but play her game. "A slaver, came here in the past week with an obvious shoulder injury."

Aria relaxed and sat back down onto her lounge, folding her hands over her lap. "Ah, you mean Scarab. Yes I'm familiar with his work. Can't say I'm fond of slavers, but he paid me a pretty hefty sum to be allowed to dock," and with that she tilted her head at one of her guards, who without hesitation drew up his omni-tool for Lennata to see. "You'll find him in the slums, deep in the heart of Blue Suns territory. He's looking for a doctor to patch him up. After that, you'll never find him. If you're quick you might get there before he does something stupid and have me take care of his ass."

Lennata's "eyebrows" which are really black facial markings rise up cautiously. "Why are you helping me Aria?" Aria's eyes her for a moment before speaking, "I don't need any more trouble from a runaway bounty and his hunter on top of the crap I already have to deal with. The sooner both of you are off Omega the easier my job will become," and waves her hand, creating a sense of ease to the situation.

Lennata tips her head respectfully to the Asari of Omega and as she turns to leave, Aria's voice stops her. "Oh, almost forgot, it seems like someone is very interested in what you're up to. He's been spying on us since you walked in. Lennata's gives her a quizzical look. "Drell at the second table from the bar. He hasn't been able to take his eyes off you." Lennata shifts her focus to where Aria mentioned and for a split second, her eyes meet with the drell's.

The same chill from earlier touched her gut once more and her eyes drew into a sharp stare. _'I knew it.'_

Down on the floor, the Drell's mind goes into overdrive. _'She knew I was spying?' _He then relaxes somewhat, '_Ah, of course…Aria. Only someone of her caliber would be able to realize what I was doing.'_

Lennata once more accepts Aria's gesture and turns to leave down the stairs. When she makes it to the bottom she immediately realizes the Drell is gone. She rotates her shoulders and heaves a sigh, _'Now I have to really be on my toes.'_ She thinks as she exits After Life.


	2. Pride and Balance

She returns outside to the same long line of species waiting to get inside the club and cautiously looks about her. Throughout her short career of being a bounty hunter for sixty-three years, she knows when she is being followed. She absent mindedly dusts off her hands of the invisible filth of Omega and beings to walk through the dimly lit alleyways.

Perched from the beams, the drell watches intently as she makes her way down to the market place. With all the grace of a jungle cat, he leaps from beam to beam, always sure to keep her in sight.

Lennata slowed her pace and glanced over her shoulder; a Vorcha hissed and disappeared at her sight. Her intention though was not to view the Vorcha but rather to analyze her surroundings, and with a quick decision, picked up her pace and darted into an adjacent alleyway before her.

The change in direction only phased the drell for a split second before he increased his speed to match, making his way from platform to platform. The hunter was skilled at evading a tail. But she'd never gone up against someone whose memory gave him access to a "virtual" blueprint of Omega. He knew the alleyways by heart, whereas she was the stranger here.

She rubbed her fingertips together, she knew her pursuer was closing in on her fast, and that her sprint probably triggered him into action. She halted to a stop and spun around , firing blue darts of biotic energy to all the surrounding lights, causing them to crash and spark loudly. Using the cover of sound she rolled behind a wall perfectly concealed in darkness and watched the area above her. She knew that if her suspicious were correct, her temporary hideout would suffice for the time being but would do little against a surprise ambush to a master drell assassin if he was that.

The drell stops in surprise at the cleverness of his prey. He sits quietly above the last spot that he saw her before the darkness. _'Clever girl. Let's see her handle this._' Reaching slowly to his belt, the drell extricates a small, silver sphere. It looks for the entire world like a mundane object, that is, till he gives it a half twist. A low hum emits from the sphere as he drops it to the ground. Three seconds later, a blinding flash bursts from the sphere!

Lennata's lips parted slightly as she breathed to minimize the sound and to calm her raging heartbeat. Her eyes shot from the beams to the ground then back again. She was for sure her follower took to the ceilings, which would make sense to take a higher vantage point, because you would have the advantage from up top. Her eyes managed to catch the glint of a silver object falling from the sparks of the lamps on the ground. Her eyes widened and she throws the face of her body away from the alleyway to shield her eyes, but wasn't fast enough to dodge the effects of all of the flashbang.

_'Dammit' _she blinked her eyes once... twice... then shut them. A ringing overtook the sound of her heartbeat in her ears. She had to act fast, she was completely vulnerable. She clenched her fists and imagined the orb falling, back tracking it back to its concealed owner, and threw her hands out in that approximate direction. Biotic energy surged forth from her body and channeled out through her hands at her assailant, before returning to her position and opening her eyes again, hoping to have enough time to overcome her impairment. With little relief she had regained enough to where she wasn't at her best but was well off enough to at least hold her ground again.

_'She's more skilled than I thought' _pondered the drell as he suspends himself upside down from the beam. The ball of biotic energy rockets past where he had been only moments before. But the damage to her was already was done. He had her location. Now to see what the little minx would do next. The drell smiled to himself, he was actually enjoying himself. It had been almost two years since he had felt this way. He flips silently down to a lower beam and waited.

She managed to make out the delicate sound of feet tapping to the ground and dared to look. There he was. Her mind quickly drew up her findings, _'Drell, physically fit, dark black coat with blue undershirt and three red tiger stripes on his upper sleeves and thighs. Definitely an assassin.'_ She clenched her teeth and shut her eyes for a brief moment before returning her gaze. He stood there in all his glory, calmly, and she felt as if he was taunting her. As Lennata pushes herself off of the wall to meet him she was able to catch a glimpse at a scar under his collarbone, right of his chest and noted it. She walked out into the light and exposed herself into his line of sight. Hands clenched, biotic light swirled around her but mostly concentrated at her hands.

"I'd like to know what an assassin is doing... tailing Me." she called out, half expecting no response from him.

"The question is not what I am doing." The drell replies calmly. A slight hint of a smile plays about his face. "The question is what you are doing. Put your silly biotics away. You'll just end up getting hurt. I would prefer to not have to resort to that." He calmly places both hands behind his back and tilts his head at her.

She smirks at him, his pale green skin showing faintly beneath a single lamp above them, he was taunting her. She stood upright but kept her biotics flowing about her.

"I know better than to let my guard down around an assassin, don't think me to be so naive drell. And I doubt you've come unprepared, judging by your equipment and skill, you almost expected this situation to play out." She made sure not to take her eyes off of him. "As far as what I'm doing here on Omega is my business but you probably already know why I'm here if I'm correct so please, answer the question yourself to me." Her fingers wiggled in her hands and her body tenses slightly, waiting for either an answer or a physical response.

The drell smiles, "So cold, and yet there is a fire inside you. Very well, I'll be courteous and give your answer. You are here for Scarab. A bold undertaking to say the least. He's as devious as he is ruthless." He quietly shifts he stance without removing his arms from behind his back, preparing for the inevitable strike. "Are you sure you wish to pursue such a dangerous individual? I believe it would be more beneficial for the galaxy if one were to flush him out an airlock."

Lennata watches the drell's shift in stance uncomfortably. "I'm not sure whether to be impressed or just acknowledge that you know that much. Yes you are correct and as much as I'd," Her biotics momentarily flare up but her expression doesn't change, "like to deal with Scarab myself personally, I'm afraid I won't be able to do so." She slides her left foot back slightly, it was now or never. "And I can't be wasting time as I'm sure you already know too." She launches the first strike flinging a biotic throw and closes the gap between them with unprecedented speed.

The world slows to a crawl as the drell takes in the situation. A slight twist and the biotic blast passes harmlessly. As he turns his attention back to his assailant, she lands a fierce cross to his side, aiming for his injury. Pain blasts through his chest as the blow strikes home. He manages to fling his arm at the hunter carrying a powerful wall of biotics throwing her back from him. He winces as his breathing returns to its normal rate.

" *cough*, not bad. It's been years since someone's actually landed a punch on me". He shifts into different combat stance. He smiles to himself.

Lennata feels the punch land exactly where she wanted it to, his injury on his chest, but she fell to the side swipe of his arm which threw her away yet she manages to land her feet. She smiles slightly, "thank you," she respectfully replies, but soon realizes it is too soon to see that the fight was in her favor.

_'What is he up too?' _she stares as his form completely changed from his last. Even though she knew her hit was effective, the situation was now about to though get a lot more interesting. She again ran forward and threw in a right jab which with motion like fluid running water he dodged. She managed to catch his side swipe in time before he struck her side again. The sound of fabric and exchanges of blows echoed around them. But then Lennata's balance wavers, _'Dammit!' _ She feels it, right into her right side. She braces to keep standing and throws out a left jab which causes him to at least draw back enough to give her space. The pain stabs at her but she refuses to reach for it, not wanting to show how much it really did in fact hurt.

"Not bad yourself drell, I've fought a few assassins before but you are among the few to actually keep up with me." It was true. All of her training she trained for speed and power in case she ever did run into an assassin which was plenty enough considering her employment. But He... yes He was going to be the most troubling.

The drell gives an appreciative smile. Lennata can feel her body tiring out and decides to wager all in. She, faster than a blink of an eye, charges forward with a biotic charge, hoping to catch him off guard and overpower him, but then realizes at the last second as he jumps and twists around her in the air that it was a serious error on her part. Time stood still as her eyes followed his movement, his arm raised up like a coiled snake, two fingers pointed down, and when time finally caught up the strike was unavoidable. One lightning fast strike to the side of her neck sent a tingly wave over her and she felt her biotics dissipate. Her eyes widened in shock and she felt herself crash into the floor.

Again and again she tried to call out her biotics but with no success. She raised her upper half off of the ground, her arms shaking beneath her.

_'Can't believe I let him get the better of me'_ she angrily thought as she brought herself back on to her feet, but More than anything though, what he damaged most was her pride. She turned to face him and already imagining his smirk, gritted her teeth before fully turning him, both out of pain and wounded pride.

"Don't worry; your biotics aren't gone for good. Give it a couple of hours before they fully come back. I want you to know I took no pleasure in doing that, but consider us even for the body shot. Now, do you wish to continue this pointless fight or will you back down?"

She couldn't help but smile, wincing though as she did. "Fair enough drell. I never was one to back down but seeing as how the odds are completely out of my favor, I'll have no choice but to accept my defeat at your hands" She tried to straighten herself out again, "for now." She now took the opportunity to clench her side from earlier and rub the side of her neck, "the answer I need though is if I can take a drell assassin's word that this dance has been discontinued." Her eyes met his with upmost seriousness. If he wasn't going to let this end where it stood, neither would she if it came down to it…. Biotics or no biotics.

The drell nods his head in agreement. "There is no honor in fighting an opponent who's not at her best anymore. My question is who hired you? The batarian is scum, barely worth keeping alive. So what possible reason could you have to bring him in alive? That is why I followed you."

Lennata felt her body shudder in relief as it was finally able to relax.

"I'm glad you and I think alike in the manner of chivalry in fighting. Unfortunately I am unable to return such kindness in revealing my employer's name, though I can say I agree that the batarian deserves much less than an inch from his life." She pauses a moment before deciding to continue, "Though for this person I feel in all honesty the employer's motives are pure and they will reach a promising answer for his retrieval." It was the truth.

The drell takes in this information, mulling it over. He finally walks forward and extends his hand to her. "Then I wish see this through with you, if that's acceptable. You can call me Lewa...Lewa Arcturus. May I know the name of my worthy opponent?"

Lennata watches as Lewa extends his hand to her. She looks at him cautiously but reaches out and clasps his hand with her own. "Lennata A'Tira, and I wouldn't mind having you as an acquaintance rather than my enemy," she dryly laughed not believing she would make a joke considering the events that had taken place just a few moments before.

Lewa smiles, "I'm glad we could finally be civilized. Now then, my sources say that Scarab is somewhere in this district." A scream rings out like a shot. He stiffens. "I think we've found our target..."

But before Lennata addresses the scream she is unable but to make out a point.

"What do you mean OUR target? If I remember correctly Scarab is MY target and I'm allowing you to tag along for the ride," she smirks and sprints off in the direction of the scream. Turning her back to run though was torture for her, knowing he still was an assassin and that she only just recently "teamed up" with him, but she was in no condition to argue for the time being and just ran with the truce made with chivalrous intent, hoping it would still hold till the end. Lewa returned her smirk and nodded slightly when she ran from him. Her actions only further confirmed her fiery spirit, the one that he was able to catch a glimpse of when he caught sight of her, and the one that was able to drive him out of that club in curiosity. He clasped his hands together and shut his eyes before leaping onto the side of a wall and flipping back into the darkness of the beams ahead, racing after her from above.


	3. Sheep Among Wolves

**-Half an Hour before-**

A feminine figure dressed in light weight armor walks among the sick, which range from humans like her to turians, batarians, and salarians. But she did not favor one over the other when when it came down to treating them.

"Iysis!" a young man dressed in a medical uniform calls out to her. She turns to meet him with a smile, "David, did you get the supplies I needed?" David nodded and gently dropped a container in front of her. "Here is the medigel, though I have to ask, where do you end up getting all these credits?"

Iysis looked at him with an "come on David quit asking me I'm just going to tell you the same thing" face.

David laughed a little, "I know you say from personal secret funds, but I'm your friend you can let me in on this little secret."

Iysis finishes pulling out the medigel she needs to treat the turian she was currently tending and stands back up, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. With a playful tone she replied, "If I told you, I might have to kill you. Who would be my errand boy then?" she laughed as she left him with a smile, shaking his head.

She walked to a medical bed with a sick coughing male turian lying upon it. As she reached out to apply the medigel, he jerked away from her, a growl escaping from his throat.

"Sir, I'm only trying to help you" her voice softened a bit, "please." The turian's mandibles twitched slightly as he looked at her. "I wouldn't be in this damn mess if you humans hadn't spread the plague in the first place. In fact I don't even know why I'm here, for all I know you could actually be killing me. I mean to think some off world petty girl coming to Omega to heal for free? Bah!" he spat with the words to hurt.

Iysis froze. The words did hurt but she expected the reaction. She lowered her eyes and took a small breath. "I assure you if it was humans that did this and I could speak for all of them I would gladly apologize, and I would much rather die than call I human for doing such a terrible act of conspiracy. I promise I'm only here to help. You came to me looking for a cure whether you wanted to believe it or not, and all I'm asking is that you trust me, for just a while to help prove my worth." She watched as his body relaxed back down. Her kind words rather than defensive rage cut through him and he allowed himself to be treated finally. "I'm sorry," he spoke, and Iysis returned his words with a small smile.

Scarab Draxen watches the proceedings from behind a column. Clad in his raider armor, he looks like a walking arsenal. Spiked gauntlets, knives, are among the least of his weapons. The shoulder guard has been semi-shattered due to a large caliber bullet. The wound in his shoulder aches from the lack of treatment. He grits his teeth in frustration.

'_I can't believe that asari B*tch got the drop on me, and now, she's followed me here! I need that doc's help to get patched up so I get off of this hellhole.'_

In all his years as a slaver, he had never come across a more terrifying opponent than that bounty hunter. She fought like a force of nature, killing his entire team and nearly getting him as well. Clenching his fists to get through the pain, he steps out from his hiding place and strolls toward the Seraphim Clinic.

Iysis managed to finish up patching up the Turian before noticing her own fatigue. The Turian though despite his ordeal, notices.

"Are you alright?"

Iysis smiles and nods her head slightly, her eyes still bright and her tied back ponytail swaying gently.

"I'm fine don't worry about me, get some rest now." And with that she turned and walked away, far enough to where she was able to bring up her hand to her forehead without anyone's suspicion.

"Hey!"

Iysis jumps and turns around, her hands lighting up blue with biotics before realizing it was David.

"David!" she shouts.

He chuckles and holds his hands out in front of him, "whoa whoa sorry didn't mean to startle you." She rolls her eyes at him, "sure you didn't."

David then gives her a strange look and she stares back at him.

"What?" she asks as he gives her a small smile,

"you're looking kind of pale Iysis... when's the last time you ate or slept?"

She brushes him off but he persists, "You've done all you can you can take a break for yourself now. I've watched you work so hard for these patients; I know you barely got an hour's worth of sleep at least for the past three days."

"You're over exaggerating David"

"Am I?"

She stood silent.

David had been right, she hadn't been able to sleep very well and it wasn't because she didn't want to, she just... worried, that she missed someone that she could have saved.

"Hey!" a gruff voice bellows out from behind the pair.

David turns around expecting a new patient. "How can we help…..you?" David notices the amount of weaponry on the batarian. He slowly takes a step back.

Iysis immediately notices the shoulder wound and walks forward without fear. "Here to get that shoulder looked at?"

Scarab is taken aback. She's the first human to not react with fear at his appearance, which given his line of work is surprising.

"….yeah, gunshot wound."

Iysis smiles at him warmly. "Let me get my med-kit and we'll get you fixed up in no time."

As she passes David grabs hold of her arm.

He whispers in her ear, "Iysis, I've got a bad feeling about this guy. I think we should ask him to leave."

She shakes his arm free giving him a cold look. "When have we ever turned away a patient in need David? I'm not about to start now."

David shifts his weight from one foot to the other and looks over her shoulder at Scarab, "Iysis I really think your heroism should be placed behind-"

His words get lost as he stares back at her. Those eyes… every time he stared into them long enough, he would always forget what to do or say. The silver had shown bright and seemed to twinkle sometimes like a diamond in the rough. Even though they were iced like pale steel, she could use them to melt the cold exterior of anyone she met. They were so beautifully unique.

David felt his tongue tie up in his mouth and Iysis looked at him with a raised eyebrow now suspiciously. "Quit playing games David, this is not the time."

Scarab's shoulder throbs. _'This is taking too long. I know that hunter is on her way here.'_

"Can we hurry this along?"

Iysis glances back at him. "Just a minute sir, I just need to make sure to get the right amount of omni-gel for that wound."

A loud "WHOOM" reverberates through the clinic. Scarab's whole body tightens.

'_Time's up…there's really no other option here.'_ He rushes forward and grabs a hold of Iysis' arm. "Sorry doc, but you're coming with me." He deftly spins her around placing his other arm around her throat.

He feels her pulse quicken. "You don't have to do this you know. We'll still treat you if you let me go."

Scarab shakes his head, "no time, there's a hunter on my tail and i am not gonna let her get me like she did my squad."

David quietly fingers a scalpel in his coat pocket. Scarab turns towards the door.

"Okay soon as we get to my ship and off Omega, sooner you can relax. Just do exactly what I say if you want to live through this."

David's mind races, he has to do something. He leaps forward, jabbing the scalpel into scarab's neck. The batarian roars in pain, dropping Iysis. He places one hand on the wound and pulls a Carnifex pistol from his belt, aiming for David's heart.

"That…..was a mistake." He fires twice, putting two rounds into David's chest.

Iysis feels the warm touch of David's blood sprinkle onto her cheek. Her eyes wide as she stares into David's, blood pooling beneath them like an angry sea, reaching out to engulf her. She shudders and shakes as tears press against her eyes.

Her heart wrenches in her chest as she screams out in agony, "David!" she scrambles toward him, one of her hands dipping into his spilled pool of life.

She stares at it, catching her own reflection and uses her untainted hand to cover her mouth as hot tears stream down her face.

Scarab looks down at the body, cursing his luck. _'Why'd he do that? I wasn't going to shoot anyone.'_

His pistol hangs limply by his side as he watches Iysis' grief.

"I didn't ... Want that to happen."

The apology falls on deaf ears as Iysis struggles against the shock. Her mind entranced in the dark confines of a spell in which the blood has seemed to cast her with.

**-Present Time-**

Lennata slows down her gait as she comes to a corner, light streaming like a curtain on the ground in front of her. She smirks as she sees a shadowy figure take form as a batarian play out onto the scene. She looks above her and catches Lewa's eyes to confirm Scarab was on the other side of the wall. As she neared the edge, the scent of sickness, blood, and death wafted into her nose, making it wrinkle.

_'Must be the work of Scarab'_ she bounced slightly on her toes and crossed her fingertips against her right thigh, gripping the cold handle of a phalanx pistol.

With a swift turn she cut the corner and ran forward, the sign above saying Seraphim clinic.

Lewa lands beside her as they barrel through the doors. A grisly scene lies before him. The assistant…..David, he remembers, lies dead in a rapidly spreading pool of blood, while Iysis sits back on her knees, her red gloved hand held away from her body as if it didn't belong to her anymore. Lewa's mind retreats into a memory.

'_A bright light shines overhead. A kind face leans over him. _

_"Welcome back. You're going to be alright" she says with a smile that tries to mask the concern in her eyes. _

_"Where am I?"_

"_You've been shot, but we've managed to stabilize your condition. Tell me, who are you?"_'His body stiffens as the memory continues to play out.

Scarab raises his pistol to point at the newcomers. "Aw crap….you."

Lennata's grip on her gun never wanes as the statement all but causes a flick of amusement in her.

"Scarab, thought you would have been smarter than this. You should have run the moment you heard I was here."

Scarab growls in pain, "Circumstances changed. I would've never made it off Omega without some form of treatment." His eyes shift to her companion.

"What's with the drell? What's he doing?" Tendrils of biotic energy coil around the drell like wisps of smoke.

Lennata glances over at Lewa as she wonders the same.

In two swift motions, Lewa closes the gap between himself and the slaver, wrenching the gun from his grasp. Scarab's eyes widen as the biotic field engulfs the drell. The most terrifying part are the drell's eyes…cold, merciless, unforgiving. Scarab raises his other arm to deliver a blow with the brutal spikes on his gauntlet. However, before he can even begin to move, Lewa throws him bodily at the wall. White-hot pain shoots through Scarab's shoulder as he lands on it. He hears the drell's footsteps approach and a cold, damp hand clamp around his throat, lifting him from the ground. The biotic field rages around him like a storm. The hand begins to squeeze.

Lennata watches the scenes play out in disbelief. She darts to the side and then forward to evade the body on the floor before placing herself directly behind Lewa, Phalanx drawn and the barrel pressed to the back of his skull.

"What are you doing Lewa! I said you could tag along not take my bounty!" she half shouted.

She didn't hear her but the faint sweet smell of honeysuckle and white lilies distracted Lennata as a figure brushed passed her. Lennata took a step back and blinked in confusion. Iysis had awoken from her lapse of non existence and ran up to Lewa throwing her arm around his waist, hand pressed against his chest, cheek against his back.

Her rose colored hand hung loosely at her side, droplets of blood collecting at her fingertips as she whimpered, "Please Lewa... Please no more..."

She tried with all her might not to shiver against his back, holding back as much as she could from breaking down in tears.

"I've already lost one friend... please don't make me lose another." Her voice wavered and she tilted her head down further, feeling weak helpless and pathetic, the feelings she most detested.

Her voice pierces through the memories flooding his mind. With a gasp he snaps back to reality. His hand releases Scarab, who collapses to the ground coughing and gasping for breath. He becomes aware of the arm clasped around his waist. He drops his head in shame.

"Iysis….I'm…..you shouldn't have had to see me like that." He turns himself around in her grasp, placing his hand on her head.

"Thank you….for bringing me back."

Iysis lets her hand slide off from his back and she uses it to try to play off wiping her eyes by brushing back her bangs.

She looks up with a small smile I'll get used to it," she sniffs and swallows back quietly as her heart starts to finally calm.

She feels peace once more wrap its warm embrace around her.

"It's my job to bring you back."

Lennata watches off from the distance, curiously. Iysis steps back from Lewa and turns to meet Lennata's lightning blue eyes but quickly darts them down. Lennata reattaches her phalanx to her right thigh and manages to divert her attention to Lewa, remembering finally what she was going to say.

"Lewa what happened back there?" she growled as she folded her arms waiting for an explanation she damned well deserved.

Lewa sighs heavily. "You know drells have a perfect memory? Well, seeing Iysis there on the ground surrounded by blood…..my mind slipped into a memory, but my body was acting on my instincts. If she hadn't stopped me, I would have killed him."

Lennata glares at him in an attempt to get him to continue, but Lewa looks away ending the interrogation. Frustrated, she brushes past Lewa and crouches down in front of Scarab.

"Now then, you have some information that I've been paid a lot of money to retrieve. Are you going to cooperate, or is this going to get…difficult?"

She clenches through her teeth as she stands upright once more and presses the heel of her boot into his shoulder wound. Scarab blurts out in pain as he tries to reach to pull her boot off with his "good" arm but is too weak to do so.

"That's not the answer I want to hear-" she was about to press down further when she feels a hand grab her wrist and is met with silver eyes, more alive and confident than before.

"Stop."

Her short demand surprised Lennata, and she felt immbolized by the grip on her wrist, but her temper kicked in.

"I don't have time for this, I don't know who you are-"

"Iysis Kessil."

The abrupt interruption paused Lennata.

"My name is Iysis Kessil a field medic, I'm not here to waste your time so step aside so I can care for him and you can be on your way."

Lennata growls and moves off to the side as Iysis lets go of her wrist to crouch down to Scarab.

A smile tugs at Iysis's lips, "don't pout."

Lennata looks down and her brows furrow but she notices that this only convinces Iysis more of her pouting state. She turns her head and walks a few steps.

_'Can't believe I'm getting played by a field medic'_ her lips curl up slightly in an irritated manner as she reaches to touch her temple.

After examining the wound Iysis realizes she is in need for a lot more medigel for Scarab and goes to grab some more. The container sits close to the body of David. She pauses a moment and leans down and draws her fingers over his eyes to shut them, her body starting to go numb again. A curse every doctor is branded with and have to live through every day of their lives. Not knowing who death will take and how to prevent him from taking.

As Iysis is gathering her supplies, Lennata walks back over to Scarab so her face looms over his.

"You'd better have the info i need, or no amount of medi-gel will save you."

Scarab's eyes widen as the front of his armor explodes into a hail of shrapnel. A split second later, an echoing shot rings out across the district!


	4. Opening Gambit

Iysis's eyes contract at the familiar sound of gunshots and drops the medigel she was carrying as she throws out her hands. A biotic blast emits from her body and expands encircling everyone in what seems to look like a blue bubble. Her eyes look over everyone, confirming their safety before dropping her hands slowly back to her side, the bubble still intact as her body glows. Lennata tilts her head up looking at the bubble and gives an impressed expression,

"Biotic Sphere..." she muses to herself.

She then looks at the human in a new sense of respect, who was busy gathering up the medigel to rush to Scarab's side. Lennata then returns her focus to where the sound of the shot came from and reached back to rub her temple,

"But just my luck. A Drell a doctor, and now this," she mutters under her breath, before looking at Lewa.

"Who ever took the shot is not one of yours right?" she questions, her slender fingers rolling out in the direction of the gunshot.

She had dealt with his strange memory slip but if this was his doing as well... well she just wasn't going to put up with that.

Lewa's instincts had already kicked in. His eyes catch the glint of the scope in the distance.

"There! Come on!" His legs began pumping as he sprints off after the hit man.

Lennata frowns at the already shrinking image of Lewa as he darts off,

"H-Hey! I asked you a question!" defeated, she groans at the increasingly bad luck she's been receiving and runs after him.

"Goddess, help me," she jokes to herself flatly.

Lewa looks back over his shoulder at the irritated hunter and smile, "Questions later, running now."

He spies the sniper perched in the roof of the adjacent building. The would-be assassin quickly slings his rifle over his shoulder before taking off across the rooftop. Lewa slows momentarily, memory racing as he plots out possible routes. He vaguely hears Lennata approach and turns to her.

"Keep him running straight ahead. I've got an idea."

Before the drell can take off again, Lennata seizes his upper arm.

"Why should I take orders from you?"

Lewa gives her a wry smile.

"You got a perfect blueprint of Omega in your head? No? Then swallow your pride and do what I say….please."

Lennata throws off her grip and clenches her teeth, clearly unhappy. He was right though, she hadn't been on Omega long enough to know every nook and crevice of this place. Without another word she follows after the escaping sniper.

**-Back at the Clinic-**

As she catches Lewa and Lennata run off to find the mystery sniper, Iysis releases the biotic sphere feeling no need to continue to hold it because the sniper was most likely distracted by the two. She leans down and with skilled hands her body, like Lewa's had before, seemed to run on auto-pilot. She pulls off the shattered, now useless, chest piece quite easily due to the extensive damage done to it.

"You'll be alright Scarab," she speaks as she tries to relax him, her voice carrying soothingly.

She grabs one of her vambraces, and pressing down on either side in a certain spot, the vambrace and glove comes off with ease. She repeats the same with the other. The wound was deep and she had neither time nor equipment to sanitize so she was going to use her bare hands, which were as clean as they could have been for this situation. She dipped her fingers in the healing salve and began to work it into the wound, the area the clear liquid touched hissed as it began to do its purpose. The wound was about a whole hands length in, as her hands became coated with the familiar warmth of blood. Her fingers worked delicately against the rubbery soft tissue as the gel mended the other parts together. The hole in diameter was no larger than the base of a coffee mug, the flesh around the entrance, tattered and discolored, explaining that the skin was already dying.

Scarab's mind is a haze. He looks up at the determined expression on the girl's face. He can't process why she would work so hard to help him after everything that's happened that day. He opens his mouth to speak and finds it hard to breathe.

"Why?" all he can manage to get out.

Her eyes meet his for a split second with a worn smile,

"Because life is life, no matter the vessel that carries it."

She returns her focus on the wound before continuing, "What you do with that life is your decision, but I'm giving you back that chance to control it once more, for yourself."

She turns back and dips her fingers again, the medigel already turning red from the use of it by delicate red fingers.

Unbeknownst to either of them they are being observed by one final person. Scars litter the side of the salarian's face. He quietly watches the proceedings through the scope of his custom Black Widow. He speaks into his headset.

"Okay boss, Scarab's down. What should I do about the medic?"

A slight delay before a deep voice sounds in his ear.

"Black Bishop takes White Pawn". Talon Reks smiles with glee, "Music to my ears boss."

He activates the laser sight and lines him his shot, grinning madly as he does. Down on the ground, Scarab notices the glimmer of red shining through the dark. His mind takes a split second to realize what he's seeing. Mustering the last remnants of his strength he shoves Iysis as hard as he can. The shot rings out barreling through Scarab's chest, but missing Iysis completely. He splutters as his lungs begin to fill with blood. A chuckle rises in his throat.

Iysis feels herself hit the cool concrete floor, her head spinning as she tries to sit upright, her hands kept close to her to try and keep them from touching the ground. Her vision blurs as she makes out Scarab. "Scarab?" she mutters confused, shaking her head to stop her mind from spinning, which causes one of the two red ribbons in her hair to fall free to the ground without her notice.

"Scarab?" she calls out a little louder. As her vision returns to her she is able to make out muffled gurgles, like someone gargling water. She sits back on her knees and presses back up to stand, walking over to him. Blood bubbles forth from his mouth spilling over his chin.

"Scarab!" she drops down and pulls him back to lean on her not understanding what happened.

Her eyes return to the wound and she notices another puncture different from the other wounds. Alarmed she expands another biotic sphere, and her mind returns briefly to Lewa and Lennata, worry tapping at the back of her mind.

"Scarab I need to lay you down" she already began to try to set him down to slow the regurgitation, but feels a hand on her upper arm causing her to pause.

Scarab smiles weakly. "Don't…..I need…..*cough*…the info….." He struggles to activate his omni-tool. The glowing red omni-tool springs to life as he transfers a file to Iysis's.

"Give this…..*cough*….to her." Blood trickles down the side of his mouth.

"Why did you save me?" Iysis asked, her eyes glossing over as if she would cry any second now.

He chuckles, "Your words…..guess you were right. It was my choice….*cough*…..to save you…All life…...sac…..red...Iy….sis..."

She feels his breaths slow to a minimal and then stops completely as the life in her hands ebbs away. She slowly returns his body to the ground and sits back looking over him. She sets her hands in her lap, the blood on her upper wrist already beginning to cake, and nods quietly.

"Yes, all life is sacred."

**-The Chase- **

Lewa takes off cutting through a narrow alleyway to get a quick boost up into the rafters, leaping from surface to surface. He spies the glint of the overhead lights reflecting off the sniper's helmet. A flash of blue signals that Lennata is hot on his heels. Lewa surveys the situation, plotting his plan of attack. Leaping high into the air, he sends a volley of biotic pulls raining down onto the would-be sniper. The sniper dodges most of the spheres, but the final one strikes his lower leg pulling it out from under him. As he hits the ground, he pulls a long serrated knife from his boot and hurls it with all his might at the oncoming Lennata.

Lennata skids to a halt as the blade rotates like a pinwheel towards her. She tilts her shoulders back to evade the blade but as it passes her she raises her hand up, following the spin and twists her body around. The action catches the blades momentum by the hilt and completely changes the trajectory, spinning on her finger, and launches right back to its owner as her arm guides it.

_'Nice move. Too bad I had to be your opponent though.'_ she thought to herself, watching the blade.

The sniper dodges with experience, and his blade holsters itself halfway into a metal pillar about a couple of feet behind him. His helmet kept still in the direction of the blade, as if observing it, before slowly returning back in the direction of Lennata. Lennata places her hands on her hips and smirked, her eyes aflame with new vigor.

Realizing that he is seriously outclassed, the sniper runs from the asari with something akin to fear in his movements. However he gets only twelve steps before Lewa appears from the right, sweeping the snipers legs out from under him and delivering a sharp elbow, driving the helmet hard into the ground. Lewa smiles as he pins the sniper's shoulders to the ground and holds the helmet flat against the stone floor. He looks over at Lennata with a new resolve showing in those black eyes. Grinning, he removes a coil of wire from his belt. In three swift movements, the sniper sits trussed up like a piece of meat.

Lennata walks over, her boots clicking against the ground, and stops in front of the sniper. "Well that was more trouble than it needed to be."

She tilts her head and looks at Lewa,

"Not bad by the way"

Lewa gives her an appreciative smile, "So what do you want me to do with him?"

Lennata sighs and rubs her temple

. "Bring him with us. We can find out why he was trying to kill Scarab after we get the info I came here for."

She takes one more look at the sniper before turning to walk back, leaving Lewa to the sniper, not wanting to deal with him at the moment. A headache begins replacing her energy she had earlier and causes her to curse under her breath.

"He better be ready to talk now."

Lewa looks at the sniper and chuckles, "Guess you're coming with us."

He reaches down and slings the sniper over his shoulder and follows after Lennata. Lennata takes her time as she retraces her steps back towards the clinic, checking every now and then on Lewa behind her. As they reach and enter into the clinic Lennata notices a new biotic sphere, and reaches out to touch it. A few seconds later the firm surface, as if recognizing a familiar presence, warps beneath her fingertips and her hand passes through gently, followed by her body.

"Scarab better be ready to talk now, I don't care if he's sleeping or rest-" she freezes in her walking motion.

Iysis sat still with the batarians body in front of her. She had placed his arms over his chest and the blood and wounds on his body had been thoroughly cleaned. His eyes were open but he remained still, his chest not moving. Iysis quietly rises up to her feet and turns around, her eyes towards the ground, and her hands held together, wiped clean of Scarab's blood. The pressure is too much for Lennata.

"What the hell happened!" she shouts angrily, Iysis doesn't even flinch.

"I left trusting your words, and I'm pretty sure I left him alive and breathing."

She throws out one of her hands towards Scarab's lifeless body, but Iysis remains silent, which further increases Lennata's agitation.

"Why won't you answer me!"

Iysis's eyes snap upward. "I did everything I could. While you two left I was here, tending to him….He gave his life for my own."

Lennata gave a huff. "What are you talking about?"

Iysis tosses something gold in front of Lennata and it clinks to the floor, rolls in a half circle, and touches the tip of her left boot.

Her eyes study the bullet, "Sniper round..." she speaks in disbelief and looks up at Iysis who by now is looking off to her side, not wanting to speak anymore.

Lennata hears the heavy drop of a body hitting the floor and clenches her fists.

Lewa stares at the scene in disbelief. He rushes over to Iysis and places his hands on her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" She nods silently.

Lennata storms over to the sniper.

"I need answers now! Time to lose the helmet!"

She rips the helmet off the dazed sniper revealing the battered, scarred face of a human. She notes the tattoo on his right temple, unclear as to its meaning. His black spiky hair drenched with sweat, a trickle of blood leaks from his nose. His eyes blink in the sudden change in light before focusing on the asari. His eyes narrow.

"What?"

"Tell me who else was working with you?"

"Go to hell"

Lennata glares, "Not what I wanted to hear." She pulls out her pistol and places the barrel against the sniper's forehead

He disregards the pistol to his forehead and looks away. Lennata growls and raises up her arm to hit him with the side of the gun but hesitates and instead brings it back down to her side.

Iysis walks up besides Lennata, who gives her a glance, "What now?" she mutters.

Iysis looks to her , her eyes gentle, noticing the hesitation Lennata had made.

"Why did you hesitate?"

Lennata shifted uncomfortably, "What is this about," she answered.

Iysis smiled and looked up, "I have the information."

Lennata looked at Iysis

"You do?" she pipped, then coughed, slightly embaressed, "Err, I mean how did you get the information, how do you even know what information I need?"

Iysis giggled, causing further embarrassment for Lennata. Iysis wrapped her arms around herself,

"It took an Asari bounty hunter, and a master drell assassin but a truly kind hearted batartian told me a little secret a certain Asari needed." I

ysis's eyes turned and met Lennata's. Lennata, not knowing how to respond, felt a strange tinge run through her. It wasn't an unkind feeling; it was just ... foreign to her. She watched as Iysis turned to walk away.

"Wait a second I need that information!" Lennata called out after.

Iysis stopped and turned back. "

Then take me with you."

Lennata was taken aback, "What?" she asked dumbfounded.

"The information Scarab gave me... I know I wasn't supposed to but I glanced through it, and the information from what I gathered wasn't meant for eyes like ours."

Lennata folded her arms over her chest and laughed,

"No way medic, I am not babysitting you."

Iysis's brows furrowed at the intentional miss of her name and then returned her expression to it's normal peaceful state.

"Well I guess then your just going to have to walk back to whom ever empty handed."

She mimicked Lennata's stance, "and all that work you did would have been for nothing."

Lennata's brow raised as this new side of Iysis appeared before her.

"So you're going to bribe me with MY own bounty."

"Pretty much."

Lennata was at a loss, but didn't mind it; in fact she was quite intrigued.

"Fine."

Iysis relaxed her pose and walked away victorious, and began gathering up remaining supplies into an open container. Lennata's eyes were drawn to a red ribbon on the floor and she knelt down to pick it up gently in her hand, noticing it to be one of Iysis's ribbons. A smirk touched her lips as she stood back up, running her thumb over the dirtied red silk.

_'Biotic Sphere, extremely talented medic, and now extortionist... I wonder what else she's hiding' _

Lennata wondered as she looked back to Iysis who had just finished refitting her vambraces and gloves.


	5. Of Spirits and Cocktails

**-Ilium Spaceport—**

The cars and shuttles fly overhead like flocks of birds as Lennata steps off the freighter.

She sighs quietly, "I still can't believe I agreed to let you two come with me. Goddess, what is the matter with me?"

Lewa appears at her side, Iysis on the other.

"I thought we agreed we'd turn this clown in for your employer, it's only fair."

Lennata turns to both of them, "Just remember once we meet my employer you guys are off on your own."

Iysis smiles and her fingers tap a little at her side. Lennata begins to walk, Iysis and Lewa following behind her. Illium was the exact opposite of Omega. Shiny tiles, bustling vendors of Asari and Volus, all of which seemed to look like a tightly organized group of people. Underneath it all though, Illium was just like Omega on the inside. Information was as deadly as a bullet and it was traded constantly. In fact, it was deadlier than a bullet. Information traveled at the touch of a fingertip and could instantly have someone killed on the other end if they weren't careful.

_'Murderers, extortionists, and thieves all dressed in nice clothes,'_ Lennata thought to herself as she passed a vendor with a volus gloating about his recent success.

She turned back behind her to see how her acquaintances were fairing and noticed something odd. Iysis barely made a look at their surroundings, but rather looked as if she was trying to hide from it. Lennata turned forward and decided to say nothing. As they climbed a few stairs a door whooshed open, the lit sign above them reading "Eternity" in neon blue lights.

Lewa immediately noticed the different atmosphere in the bar, so much…colder than AfterLife. At least in afterlife, people were straight forward about their intentions; here people hide their feelings behind smiles and shots. He notices a kind looking matriarch behind the bar, her purple skin giving off a pleasant sheen from the bar's lamps.

Lennata turns to her companions, "go have a seat at the bar, my employer should be here soon."

Lewa nods quietly and shifts his "baggage" on his shoulder. The asari looks up from cleaning a shot glass and smiles warmly.

"Well well. Aren't you an interesting group: a drell, a human, whatever that is on your shoulder, and….is that little lennata there?"

Lennata sighs, "Hello Aethyta."

"So hon, what brings you back here?"

"Business as always. Is she here yet?"

The matriarch nods and points at one of the back rooms.

"She's been here for hours. Finally gave her one of the private rooms to get her to stop scaring the customers."

Lennata heaves a sigh and nods as she turns to walk to Lewa and Iysis.

"I have to have a quick chat beforehand, so just... don't cause a lot of attention to yourselves, and don't get into any trouble. Keep to yourself and say nothing important. This is illium, your being recorded and watched on a twenty-four hour bases."

Lennata's eyes catch a camera in the corner of the bar to back up her words before turning to leave into one of the private rooms. Iysis raises up her hand to her shoulder and rubs it firmly. She felt as if she was the only one constantly being observed. High society places reminded her of... home. She stopped herself from thinking any further.

"I need a drink" she said to Lewa as she walked over to the bar.

Lewa's instincts take note of each security camera in the room before following his friend. Aethyta smiles at the pair as Lewa unshoulders his burden to the floor. Bending down to the bound vigilante, he whispers in his ear.

"Behave yourself." He straightens back up and takes a seat.

Aethyta nods at the bundle.

"Who's that? I don't want any trouble here."

Lewa gives her a winning smile.

"Don't you worry. Our "friend" here is for Lennata's employer. Speaking of whom, what can you tell us about this mysterious employer?"

Aethyta pours them both a glass of batarian ale.

"Lennata didn't tell you? She's working for a Spectre."

Iysis's eyebrows raise at this. "What does that mean exactly?"

Lewa cuts in, "Pretty much they are the Council's special forces, working outside the boundaries of normal laws.

Aethyta nods wisely.

"So how'd you both end up with little Lennata there?"

Lewa grins, "Got into a fistfight with her."

"Wow, impressive, who won?"

Lewa looks down a little guiltily. "Eh, no real winner"

"Uh huh, right."

Iysis grabs the glass and downs it before placing it back onto the counter, giving her head a shake to the burning trickle running down the back of her throat.

"I helped her out with something she needed, and helped her injuries."

She turned her head to look behind her and noticed a salarian leaned up against the wall, no one in particular. She returned to her empty glass and slid it forward.

"Another, please."

"Coming right up sweetheart."

Lewa turns to her, "everything okay Iysis? You seem…..distracted."

She deftly avoids answering by downing her second glass.

"Aethyta, how do you know Lennata?"

"That's a long story. She came here when she was no older than 40. Battered, bruised, bloodied. Looked like she decided to fight a krogan blindfolded. Anyways, I felt sorry for her, reminded me of my own daughter. I helped clean her up and gave her a job. She worked for me for about a year before taking off to become a bounty hunter. She comes back here from time to time to visit."

Iysis hesitates placing down the second glass even though empty, listening. A warm feeling blossomed in her, but she couldn't tell if it was the alcohol or something else. She knew she couldn't hold liquor very well but, something ate at her inside, a memory threatening to claw its way back out, and she felt she needed something to swallow it back down.

"Did she run away?"

Bravery of the drink dared her to ask, her eyes looking through the bottom of the glass. The counters' surface beneath the cup appeared to dance as she swayed the glass getting different perspectives.

Aethyta pours her another shot.

"Sweetie, you okay? No matter how many shots I give you, whatever's eating you won't go away."

_'Won't go away,'_ the words ringed in Iysis's head and all of a sudden the glass she held felt heavier.

She gently places it down next to the newly poured glass, studying its green color. She reaches out to grab it but watches her hand as she does as if it had gone to retrieve it against her own will. Her hand retreats from the green ale and instead rests onto her lower neck beneath her chin.

"What happened to Lennata?" the curiosity she was going to keep to herself, now spoke for itself.

Aethyta grabbed a wet rag and began rubbing the creamy yellow counter in small clockwise circles, and before she could answer Lennata appeared up behind Iysis and Lewa.

"Okay lets go you tw-"

Lennata leaned over and looked at Iysis.

"Are you drunk?" she asked, startled.

Iysis stood away from the counter and coughed quietly as if she was going to prepare for a speech.

"No," was all she said, her face slightly flushed.

Lennata looked at Aethyta, "how much did you give her?"

"Only a couple of shots, what can I say the girl can hold her liquor," the older Asari joked.

Lennata shook her head, "great way to meet the employer."

She looked back at Iysis who now wore a completely different expression. Her usually happy peaceful features were now drawn more seriously, eyes glazed over. Lennata was unsure of how to talk to Iysis but didn't have to wait long as Iysis turned around.

"Let's go."

Lennata looked to Lewa and back at Aethyta, "It was good seeing you again, hope we can meet on better circumstances."

"Yeah, when ever that'll come around. Don't forget to write me" she joked as Lennata turned to leave for the back room.

"What about him?"

"Pick him up and bring him along, she wants to see him too."

Lewa bends down and hoists the struggling sniper over his shoulder once more and follows after Lennata. The moment they enter the back room, Lewa spies the woman who is obviously the spectre. Dark Blue skin beneath dark red armor, and those bright green eyes that seem to look inside your soul. She gives him an appraising look before speaking.

"Well, you two are not what I expected: A Medic and an Assassin. Lennata here's given me the rundown on you two, but I'd like the chance to judge for myself if I can make use of your talents."

A stifled laugh comes from Iysis. Lennata slowly turns her head. Iysis folds her arms over her chest loosely,

"How much do you even know about us? What has Lennata told you exactly?" a slight slur to her words as she steps forward and kneels down in front of the spectre, squinting.

"Huh?" She demands questioningly.

Lennata grabs the back of Iysis's armor and pulls her back, to which Iysis shakes free.

"What you gonna do? Bound me up like that... that..."

she points a finger to the tied sniper,

"Guy… Over there? Hmmm?"

Lennata brings her fingers to her forehead. "Goddess..."

Iysis leans back against the wall and huffs, blowing her bangs, amusing herself. Lennata turns to her and then back to the spectre with an awkward grin,

"Sorry she just had a rough time"

"I'm drunk" Iysis states plainly making Lennata inhale slowly and purse her lips together.

Lyra just sits there beaming at the unlikely trio.

"I like her, she's got a lot of heart. Not many would get in the face of a spectre like that, drunk or not. What about you...Lewa was it?"

The drell steps forward giving a small bow. "A pleasure."

Lyra gives him a sly grin, "An assassin and a gentleman? Huh, never would have called that."

Lewa smiles at the compliment, "If you would be so kind, i'd like some answers."

The spectre leans back in her seat, draping one leg over the other.

"Of course, but not here. There are too many "eyes" watching us. Tell you what, take this firebrand and lennata shopping for a while. I have some business to attend to with this one." She motions to the bundled hitman on the floor.

Lennata hesitates, "are you sure?"

Lyra nods solemnly, "He's no threat to anyone right now."

Iysis hiccups. "I don't wanna."

Lewa sighs, puts a hand on her shoulder, and lifts her off the ground and over his shoulder.

"LEWA! Put me down!"

He ignores the cries of protest as he strolls out of the bar, Iysis in tow. Iysis pats Lewa's back with her hands, struggling but seeing it futile tries another tactic. She goes limp and pretends to be knocked out. Lewa chuckles and decides to readjust Iysis. He bounces her up, causing her to levitate slightly before coming down on his shoulder with her abdomen.

It does the trick as the human female groans in pain, "Argh… Lewa…" she whines.

He can't help but laugh, "come on now, we're going shopping."

He can feel Iysis's elbows against his shoulders as she props herself up, chin resting on her hands, "fine" she agrees, defeated.

Lennata gives Lyra an apologetic look before jogging after the duo. Lyra turns her full attention to the struggling bundle on the floor.

"I know who you are. I also know that the price on your head would more than make up for any trouble you've caused me, Mr. Kim. The Blue Suns pay quite handsomely for traitors, so I assume you really pissed off Vido something fierce. However, I am willing to overlook your earlier "indiscretions" for a price. You work for me. You follow my orders to the letter. When my mission is all over, if you've survived, you're free to go, all debts paid."

The only response from the hitman is a nasty glare and something like a growl from his throat.

"Now now. Be nice or I won't throw in the extra incentive. If you agree to do this willingly, I give you my word to take you to the one person you've ever cared about: A justicar by the name of Selene H'oll."

The name causes his body to go rigid, eyes wide.

"Ah I see that's finally got your attention. So, do we have a deal?"

She sees the gears moving in his head, thoughts probably racing to weigh the pros and cons. Finally, he gives a quick, curt nod of his head. Lyra grins in triumph.

"You've made a smart choice Nikolai.", as she cuts his bonds.

The sniper rises to his feet unsteadily.

"So…"Boss"...what do you want me to do first?" His voice drips with sarcasm and resentment.

Lyra tilts her head to one side, and in an almost mocking tone, replies "Stay here. keep your eyes and ears open. We should be back in a while….have an errand to run before we leave Illium." and with that, she leaves Nikolai sitting at the bar.

Iysis peers at all of the vendors they come across, walking from one to the next, and the alcohol appearing to have worn off. Lennata walks up besides Lewa as he watches her.

"For someone that can't hold her own weight, she can sure metabolize it fast."

Lewa laughs a little and nods. Lennata turns to him. Now that she was able to get a closer look at him, in daylight, his features shown more firmly to her. A past, a war, a body and mind trained for his expertise. She looked back to Iysis as she conversed with one of the Asari merchants.

"So….feel like telling me about you and Iysis?"

She wanted to ask about his memory slip but didn't want to press forward too hard about it. The image of his body reacting on its own unnerved her, so if he was going to slip again, she wanted to at least be prepared and know the trigger for it so she could avoid it.

Lewa looks down at his feet.

"First thing you need to understand is that two years ago I was betrayed by someone I deeply cared for. She led me into an ambush that almost cost me my life."

He looks back to Iysis.

"I woke up to her face leaning over me smiling, telling me everything was going to be fine. The certainty in her voice, the kind words, it gave me hope. For the next few months she helped me through my recovery. In return, I gave her defense lessons in both hand-to-hand and biotics. She's…..special to me."

Lennata glances back at Lewa, "You love her?" the word almost didn't come out correctly as if she had tried to speak in a different language.

He stops for a second as if considering how to give an answer.

"Yes, but not like that. She is like a little sister to me. Happy, kind, fun to be around."

His face darkens, "She should never have had to see me like that. I tried to leave part of my life behind. Seeing her on the ground like that covered in blood...my mind couldn't handle it. So my body took over. If she wasn't there, I would have torn Scarab apart." His words trail off as Lennata continues to look between the pair.

He turns to face Lennata.

"I'm sorry, but that's all I'm willing to share right now…...I just can't dwell on the memories before the ambush. I'd retreat into my memories, and you all need me right now. I give you my word though, I'll tell you the whole story…..later."

Lennata didn't expect Lewa to address his memory but she was glad he touched the matter. It satisfied her curiosity for the time being. She nodded and looked back at Iysis, her face cheery and eyes sparkling as if she was a krogan getting his first battle wound. Lennata noticed the single red ribbon in Iysis's hair and recalled where the other was. She reached down and tucked away in her belt was the red ribbon. Why she kept it she couldn't answer. Iysis jogged over to the two with a grin on her face. Lennata moved her hand away from her belt.

"You guys aren't going to watch me all day are you?"

She looked at Lennata, "what happened to," she tries to mimic Lennata's voice as best as she could, "I'm not babysitting you." Lennata's lip twitches slightly.

Lewa can't help but laugh in agreement causing Lennata to look at him, "Don't encourage her, she may let it get to her head" she moves her hand forward and flicks Iysis in the forehead.

Iysis winces at the fresh sting.

"What the-" but by then Lennata had already walked over to one of the vendors.

Iysis reached up and rubbed her forehead, looking at Lewa. She tried to frown but couldn't without laughing and looked back at Lennata who was cooly talking to another Asari merchant. Iysis paused and just watched a moment. Aytheta's conversation with Lewa about Lennata came to mind. Lennata was the embodiment of power and elegance, and her movements sharp and precise. Her eyes were fierce and cold but seemed to have the ability to burn right through a person.

Iysis felt a tinge on her cheeks as she suddenly became self aware of her staring. She looked around and tried to play off still being under the influence.

She reached for Lewa's hand which was tucked behind his back, "You're no exception Sir," she playfully spoke as she tugged him along to another vendor.

Lewa gives a cough, and brings his free hand to his side. Iysis stops and gives him a quick surveying glance.

"Is your chest still bothering you?"

Lewa nods, "That punch she gave me did a number on the old wounds."

Iysis takes a step closer, "You still have the meds I gave you."

"Yep", he takes his pill bottle out of his pocket and takes two of the red capsules.

She puts a hand on his chest.

"If it gets any worse, you promise to let me know?"

He smiles and takes her hand in his. "I promise. Now then, let's go spend some money."


	6. Dealing Death by Information

Lyra smiles to herself, smug in the fact that she knew exactly which buttons to push on Nikolai.

'_All too easy.' _

She glances over at Lennata and notices a change in the hunter's demeanor. More relaxed, softer as it were. She rounds the corner and starts up the stairs to the office of Dr. T'Soni. A purple-hued asari sits at the desk outside.

"Hello Nyxeris. Is she in?"

The secretary nods serenely, "She's actually expecting you ma'am."

Lyra shakes her head, "You both know how I feel about people keeping tabs on my movements."

Nyxeris just sits there smiling that creepy vacant smile.

"I just do what I'm told ma'am."

Liara sits at her desk, leaned back on one elbow, as she monitors the screen in front of her. Something distracts her though, a dog tag on the left side of her desk, which she had framed.

Her fingers reach out and with a touch of a lover, traces over the engraved name, "Shepard" she whispers almost mournfully.

The door clicks as it's about to open and Liara quickly withdraws her hand, minimizing the windows on her computer screen.

"Lyra," she greets the entering spectre, "What can I do for you?"

Liara steps out of her chair to stand next to her desk on the right, her hand pressed down giving her some support. Her green long sleeved dress hugged her body beautifully, the white of the dress running down the front of it and her slevees also being white. Light freckles dappled her cheeks and what looked like tattooed human brows, marked her face. Facial markings in which were unique to the T'soni.

Lyra smirks, "You already know why I'm here Liara. So, do you have information I asked you to find?"

Liara gives a knowing look.

"You of all people should know me better than that. Of course I have it, but you're not going to like it."

"Meaning what exactly?"

"The connection between the batarian and the mystery man it leads back to a very important corporation: Fenris."

Lyra puts her hands up to her temples in frustration, "Goddess, this is all I need. I take it they're not going to give me the information willingly?"

Liara turns her back on the spectre, watching Lewa and Iysis going from vendor to vendor, Lennata wandering behind them.

"Things are never what they seem. Speaking of which, how much do you know about your "recruits? Did you know that you were talking to a dead man?"

"Excuse me?"

" The Drell is legally dead. The bounty on his head was turned in by an asari called Raya. He's for all intents and purposes dead."

Liara watches the drell and looks to his female companion.

"And your medic, Iysis Kessil, she had quite an interesting background. Family are nobles and extremely wealthy but she strayed away from that. Instead she became a medic, top of her class, and despite only being twenty-four she is extremely adept with defensive biotics. Although... I believe there was an instance where someone observed her offensive biotics."

Liara's eyes drew down slightly as if she was going to find the answer on the face of the unknowing girl below her.

"Part of her record is heavily encrypted, probably in part with her parents, but all I could gather from it, is that she is not what she appears to be."

Liara watched the medic for a little while longer.

_'Cerberus... Shepard' _ her eyes now not looking at anything in particular as the names tapped in her mind at the thought of medics and doctors.

Lyra's expression turns dark, her own memories getting the better of her.

'_Tela'_

She quickly buries them, before continuing.

"Well that's all well and good, but the question becomes how to get into the Fenris Building."

Liara turns back slowly, a keycard in hand, a twinkle in her eye.

"Think this might help?"

Lyra shakes her head in mock disapproval.

"Really? How long were you going to beat around the bush T'Soni?"

Liara slides the card across her desk.

"The card will give you access to the building's central servers. However, you'll probably want to have a 'conversation' with the CEO, Kalista Troia. She's obviously deeply involved in this."

Lyra nods, "A two team job huh? One to hack the server, the other to get the answers from Kalista. Well then, it's a good thing Lennata brought friends along."

Liara smiles a little and then takes her seat back behind her desk. Lyra takes the card from the desk but in doing so notices the framed dog tag.

"Shepard."

The name triggered a quick response from the information broker as her head turned to the name.

"She was an amazing human spectre."

Liara's eyes fell to the dog tag once more, eyes softening with pain gleaming over them.

"Yes, yes she was."

Lyra looked through the window pane in front of her, "I never knew her personally, and I know you've probably heard this a lot, but I'm sorry for your loss. She seemed... important to you."

Lyra noticed Liara swallow, as if to hold back tears, but with a solid voice Liara replied. "Thank you... She was... very important to me."

Lyra nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

Lyra gives her a quick smile and nod before turning out the door.

Lyra stops in the doorway, turning back, "Oh, one more thing. Could you find the location of Justicar H'oll for me?"

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks a bunch T'soni."

She barely notices Nyxeris stand up and give her a deep bow.

'_She's so creepy'_, she thought to herself.

Making her way down to the trading floor, she spies Iysis getting into an argument with a volus vendor.

"That price is outrageous!"

"*wheeze* Earth-clan, my prices reflect the *wheeze* item's true worth."

"I don't care, who in their right mind would pay that much?"

Lyra strolls up to the arguing pair, "Is there a problem?"

Iysis turns to face the asari, indignation etched over her face.

"This…..jerk is trying to make me pay 10,000 credits for medi-gel." Lyra looks down at the volus.

"Is that true, Caldorn?"

The vendor straightens at the mention of his name.

"You *wheeze* know my name?"

Lyra smiles with an evil glint in her eye.

"Yes I do. How about you cut the nice lady some slack on your wares? As a personal favor to a spectre?"

The volus' movements look hesitant.

"…*wheeze* very well. Earth-clan, *wheeze* is a 75% discount satisfactory?"

Iysis looks taken aback.

"Seriously? Yes! I'll take some of each type then."

Lyra hears a chuckle from behind her. Lewa stood there barely holding his composure together as Lennata stood beside him, face blank with a smirk.

Lyra smiles "Good, glad you're all here. When you're done here, meet me at the transport hub. I have an offer I'd like to make all of you."

**-Ten minutes later at the Transport hub-**

Lyra looks at the trio.

"Okay, Lennata's the only one here who has a clear idea of what my assignment is. You two need to understand the gravity of the situation. A new player has surfaced in the galaxy. Resources and power to rival both Cerberus AND the Shadow Broker put together. The batarian you all met was going to give me information on his next target. But he decided that his life was more important so he ran. One of my sources told me that the connection between Draxen and the "Mystery Man" can be found in the servers of the Fenris Corporation. I need your help for this. This needs to be a two team job. I can make this worth your while. Are you willing to help me?"

Lennata, being more of the loner type, understands the importance of the mission and allows Lyra to group her into a team. Iysis hands were held in front of her stomach as she fiddled with her fingers.

Lennata looks to Iysis, "by the way we still need that information Scarab gave you."

Iysis looks to Lennata then back to Lyra. She raised up her left arm and a bright orange omni-tool wraps around it. Moments later a screen appears as she transfers the file to Lyra. Lyra looks over the data briefly before Iysis cuts into her thoughts.

"Project: Inferno, Subject: Lucifer."

Lyra looks up, "noted, is this all Draxen gave you?"

Iysis pauses a moment her fingers tapping a little at her side, "yes."

Lyra eyes her, Iysis's eyes unmoving, before nodding and shutting off her omni-tool.

"So do we all agree to see this through?" she asks the assembled trio.

Three nods of agreement bring a smile to her face.

"Excellent, well the plan right now is we split up once we reach the building. Lennata and I will take the roof and work our way down, searching for Kalista's office. We'll also be the distraction for Lewa and Iysis to make their way to the server rooms and hack the terminals to get the info. Any questions?"

Lennata raises an eyebrow, "Distraction?"

Lyra nods, a playful smile about her lips. "You have a problem with it?"

Lennata looks cautiously at the spectre but shrugs her shoulders casually, "Nope. But why are we bringing her again?"

Iysis notices the conversation had switched onto her. Iysis's fingers stop tapping against her thighs as she looks to Lennata.

"You act as if I can't defend myself."

"Well, can you?"

"You'll just have to see for yourself."

Lennata looked to Lyra whose smile had turned to a grin, she was enjoying this.

Finding that the conversation was leading no where Lennata rotated her wrists, relaxing them, "Okay let's get this over with."

Lyra walks over to the taxi console and activates it. A dark blue taxi swoops down and lands before them. She turns back to the group.

"Get in."

**-Five minutes later-**

The view on the skyway is spectacular. The brightly colored neon lights, billboards, and cars of every make and design litter the skyline. Lyra motions ahead of them.

"There she is, The Fenris Tower."

Lewa notices the tall dark building that contrasts with its surroundings.

Lyra tosses a keycard to Lewa.

"You'll need this to access the servers."

Lewa deftly places the card in a pocket on his belt.

"So Lennata, you ready to make some noise?"

Lennata rolls her eyes. "Only if necessary."

The shuttle lands a good 200 feet away from the building. Lewa notices the two armed security guards at the entrance. Blue and red armor cover their bodies. Each guard carries a Vindicator rifle in their hands.

Iysis, Lewa, Lyra, and Lennata reach the tower under the cover of darkness. Ahead of them at the entrance posted is all but two guards with avenger assault riffles pressed low against their mid-abdomen.

Lennata checks the side of her Phalanx, "I got them" she speaks as she starts to walk forward, but just as she does Iysis stands in her way.

"I'm sorry Lennata but let me handle this."

Lennata raises a brow," what do you think you're going to do? give them a hug and hope they don't set off the alarm?"

Iysis laughs at the attempted tease.

"I'm sorry, but no. Not everything has to be done with guns and bullets."

Iysis reaches back and appears to press something that causes her armor to hiss and snap off.

"Here, hold this for me will you?"

She hands Lennata unexpectedly the chest piece, soon followed by her shoulder guards and leg guards, till all she wears is a tight grey suit, and her white vambraces and stands there shocked, not knowing what to say. The suit in her view fits Iysis's form quite... well.

Lennata glances off at Lewa and Lyra for a distraction before returning to look back. Iysis doesn't look up but rather takes her pointer finger and reaches up to the turtle neck part of her suit where down the center is a silver lining. She reaches the top the silver lining and presses down, and beneath her fingertip lights up a soft cyan blue. She looks up and catches Lennata's eyes as she drags her finger down slowly, the fabric splitting softly to expose fair skin beneath it. Lennata shifts her weight from one foot to the other feeling unprepared for this situation, Iysis in turns smiles as she lets her finger up, ceasing the exposure.

She then turns away and tilts her head back to relax herself, and without another word walks straight towards the two guards. The guards grip their rifles at the oncoming girl but give each other side glances.

"Excuse me" Iysis starts, "I seem to have gotten lost and was wondering if you could ... help me."

The right side guard gets cocky and steps forward, but is turned away as Iysis purposefully walks to the left side guard. The left guard stiffens as she approaches.

"Can you help me?" she whispers sweetly, her eyes drawn down slightly then running back up to meet his behind his helmet.

Iysis hears the boots of the right guard coming closer and smirks. His pride being bashed, he tries to regain it by playing off the dejection. Iysis gently places her hand on the left guards rifle, her eyes unmoving from his.

"Hey."

The right guard tries to call out coolly behind her, but is met with the end of his friends rifle, knocking him out cold. The left guard in panic scrambles to retrieve his weapon but is met with a strong edge of her white vambrace to the throat. His hands instinctively reach for his throat as he coughs and gags, to which Iysis takes the advantage to knee up hard into his abdomen causing him to drop. As he kneels before her, she places one hand behind his head and releases a biotic throw, causing his helmet to crash into the ground below.

She strolls back to Lennata and with a smug smile, takes back her chestplate, and begins to reattach it.

Lewa leans in and whispers in her ear "Good distraction and strike, but your follow-through needs some fine tuning."

She turns and sticks her tongue out at him. Lyra stands there grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Where'd you say you found her Lennata? The girl's just full of surprises."

Lennata smiles slightly in embarrassment _'goddesses give me patience._'

The spectre rubs her hands together in anticipation.

"Alright boy and girls, let's get started."

Without another word, she and Lennata get back in the taxi and make their way up to the roof. Lewa and Iysis watch them rise up out of sight before giving each other a small wink as they walk in through the double doors at the entrance.


	7. Trial by Fire

Without another word, she and Lennata get back in the taxi and make their way up to the roof. Lewa and Iysis watch them rise up out of sight before giving each other a small wink as they walk in through the double doors at the entrance.

The taxi makes it way up to the roof and lands quietly. The door scissors upwards as Lennata and Lyra step out, their elegant forms silhouetted against faint neon white building lights among other colors. Lennata notices a door for roof access and walks towards it. She slides her hand against the cool metallic surface.

"The door is thick, maybe about a-" She taps the door, the sound echoes immediately back, "half a foot thick?"

She tries the handle in vain and laughs to herself before looking at Lyra.

"I guess they're smarter than they seem, It was still worth a shot."

She steps back and clenches her fists. Blue aura engulfs her, both in bright blue and white, as she summons it from her body. The hue of her blue eyes had become enhanced by it as she looks to Lyra.

"I guess let's let them know we're here."

Lyra tilts her head down and opens her hand towards the door in a "Be my guest" manner. Lennata, with a sharp fluid motion, launches her hand forward as she releases a biotic throw. The door caves in and Lennata uses her other hand to biotically tear the door out before letting it crash back down onto the roof, releasing her biotics. The alarms go off.

"I hope Lewa and Iysis are ready," she mumbles as she follows after Lyra.

Lyra reaches to her belt, pulling a headphone earbud from it. Placing it in one ear, she activates her omni-tool. Lennata can hear music coming from it. Lyra's head bobs to the beat of the rhythm. "Wait…..are you listening to music during an operation.", she asks incredulously.

Lyra gives her a wink over her shoulder as she pulls her Paladin from its holster. "Of course! Why? Don't you?", she asks sarcastically.

The alarm sounds reverberate down the stairwell. In the distance, Lyra catches the sounds of boots pounding up the stairs...maybe ten or twelve floors down. She turns to her partner. "Well, shall we go dance with these gentlemen?"

Lennata for a second couldn't believe what she was seeing. But after confirming that it actually did happen, she found herself liking the spectre all the more.

"If I had been some years younger, you might have well have already convinced me to want to have become a spectre."

Lennata walked beside the spectre, pacing themselves as they were about to greet their audience. Once more embers of blue and white rose from, not only her body, but from Lyra's as well.

"Those headphones waterproof?" Before Lyra could answer, Lennata threw a biotic blast at a fire alarm as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Water hailed down on them.

Lyra looked at Lennata, "And what if I said they weren't?"

"Well then your crap out of luck"

Lyra laughed, "Then luck must be on my side."

The Asari's body's glistened with coated water. Lennata loved the water, sometimes though she wondered if because of the Asari's ancient aquatic background, but regardless, she still enjoyed it. The cool touch of the liquid tasted sweet, as with the sound it brought with it to her ears. The sheets of water provided sound cover for their delicate steps as well as provided some illusion to their movements, and in a dimly lit, parking garage type of structure… it was perfect.

Lyra's mind took in her surroundings. This is what she lived for, the thrill of danger mixed with violence. She heard the orders coming from behind the door at the opposite end of the room.

"Security says we have two intruders. I repeat two intruders, asari by the look of them. Orders are to shoot on sight!"

Lyra frowns, "Well I guess they want more than a dance huh?"

She cocks her sidearm. The doors burst open and over fifteen armed security personnel charge into the room. Lennata takes note of the varying kinds of weapons: Everything from shotguns to SMGs. She looks over at Lyra and notices a kind of glow emit from her eyes.

"Well Lennata? Shall we?" she asks before turning to face the guards.

"Let's dance boys!" Without warning she's off like a rocket barrelling into two guards.

She slams them, HARD into the nearest column, sending spider-webs of cracks throughout the surface. Grasping their helmets, the spectre gives their heads a hard twist. The sound of bones breaking reaches her ears even over the sound of gunfire.

She feels their bodies go limp as she retrieves a Tempest SMG from one of the guards.

Lennata watches the spectre barreling across the room with sheer, brute, force. Lennata shakes her head as a soldier escaped around Lyra and tried to sneak up on Lennata. She pulls out her second phalanx from her right thigh and shoots him dead center in the forehead. The guard falls back and collides with the floor, causing water to jump up as if frightened.

She turns her head and looks down at him, "Your steps make too much noise."

She could feel it now, the hunt kicking in. She became a shark in a tank with a shoal of fish, who unwittingly assumed that numbers and a bunch of shiny "scales" would deter her. She biotically charged beside another guard, and swung her hand down, relieving him of his side arm, and permanently, incapacitating him.

Lyra feels the barrel of a rifle press against the back of her head as she crouched.

"Don't move!"

She smiles to herself, shifting her weight. In the blink of an eye, she twists, wrapping her arm around the rifle pointing it at the floor. Before the guard can react, she slams her head into his, shattering the visor. With a biotic strike to the chest, she hurls him into several of his colleagues. She opens fire with the Tempest, sending a horde of rounds into everything that moves in her line of vision.

Lennata finishes dropping another guard before she hears the pellet sprays of bullets, "Oh Go-" she sends her hands out in front of her, her body coating in a biotic barrier as the bullets ricochet off her body, ending up striking two more guards beside Lennata before the spray stops. Lennata lets her hands drop as she gives a glare at Lyra.

"Seriously?"

Lyra laughs, "If I knew you couldn't handle something like that I wouldn't have even attempted it."

"Oh really or was that-"

She turns and runs her fist through a visor of another guard as he tried to pummel her with a baton of some sort.

"Just your way of saying 'ah I'm getting bored with this shit, how about I just light the whole place up?" Lennata speaks upbeat, but noticeably not happy she got caught off guard.

Lyra winks at her before scooping up an Eviscerator shotgun from the floor, dropping the Tempest.

"Only five left. Hey boys? How's about you give up nicely and we'll let you walk away from this."

Her words are met with a hail of gunfire.

"I guess I'll take that as a no then."

She warps forward in the midst of three of the guards shooting one full in the chest with the shotgun. She twists, bringing her leg up around the closest guard's neck, dragging him to the ground before unloading another round into the third guard's arm. A jerk of her leg muscles crushes the windpipe of the struggling guard.

The last two guards watch as their fellow comrades are obliterated without as much as really testing the Asari dressed in red armor. They look to each other and cautiously step back, fingers on the triggers.

"I wouldn't do that, I mean… did you see what that shotgun she has did to your buddy over there?"

They both freeze as Lennata peeks her head in the middle of them, "oh and she's a spectre."

She moves back and grabs both of their helmets, crashing them together with immense force, aided by her biotics. They slump together on the floor and Lennata prods them with the tip of her boot their bodies lay unmoving. She leans down and searches their body if anything of interest, finding none, and returns her search to their helmets. She pulls off one of them and removes a radio ear piece. Opening up her omni-tool, which lights up a neon blue, she records the frequency before sending the frequency signal to Lyra. She then fits the earpiece into her ear.

Lyra's Orange omni-tool responds to the frequency. She catches the sounds of their target, Kalista Troia, giving orders.

"Alpha team, what's your status? Damn it! Alright Gamma teams move to floor 54, my office. The rest of you search the building! Do not let them escape!"

Lyra straightens up and drops the shotgun in the pooling blood.

"Guess we now know where she is."

She picks up a finely crafted Avenger series rifle.

"Let's go have a talk with her. Hopefully the others won't have any opposition."

**-Meanwhile down on the ground floor-**

Lewa and Iysis already had strolled right through the, probably bullet-proof, glass double doors with the name "Fenris" printed onto them. Iysis noticed the lobby room and went to the front empty greeting counter, leaning onto it. Papers were scattered everywhere as the person who sat there tried to escape as soon as possible, probably due to the alarm. Iysis learned down furthermore, her ponytail which already sat slightly at her left shoulder, now sliding up the side of her face. What she saw on the three computer screens caused her to snicker. The black and white security footage of Lyra and Lennata had glitched and distorted them slightly into wavy leaning figures as she caught them run off screen. She stood back up and looked at the crystal chandelier hanging above them.

"For a corrupt corporation they sure love interior decorating."

Lewa's eyes give a tactical sweep of the foyer.

"Those with too much money often do."

He walks over to the computer at the greeter's desk, standing next to Iysis.

"Let's see where we're heading." He sits down and begins to search the system for their destination.

"Level 1-7 Legal department….no…wait….here we go….sub-basement levels."

He glances over the descriptions. His fingers stop moving.

"Iysis...I think you should see this…" He turns the monitor to her. The sub-basement levels include labs for developing variations of illegal drugs, weapons development, and children testing.

"They are experimenting on children!"

Iysis moves forward, the screens mirroring in her eyes as she reads through it. Her eyes widen in horror.

"Radiation exposure... Skin regenerative testing... Lewa, these children are only six to eleven years old!" she shouts in disbelief.

"Humans, Turians, Asari... they practically are trying to hybridize different properties of different species!"

If she wasn't wearing gloves, the knuckles on her fists would have been white to the eye from clenching them so tightly in anger. She memorizes the basement level and her eyes tighten, vengeance blazing in them. She swiftly turns and runs towards the stairs.

Lewa was about to protest but Iysis paused and gave a steel cold stare at him, "Don't try to stop me and tell me no Lewa."

She returned to her course and reached the doors leading for down stair access.

"But I could really use your help though," she called quietly her eyes softening a little as she looked from the descending flight of stairs to his dark round eyes. She then took a step forward and the door closed behind her.

Lewa sighs and activates his omni-tool. "Lyra? We have a situation."

The spectre's voice responds in his ear. "Define…..situation."

"Well, Iysis has taken it upon herself to go exploring and may end up in….trouble."

"Where did she go?"

"Sub-basement levels, something about a lab that was running experiments on children."

A silence answers this statement.

"They're using children?"

"So it would seem. What should I do? Should I go after her or continue the mission."

"Keep to the mission for now. We're keeping tabs on their communications. If she gets into trouble we'll let you know. But for now, find that server!"

Lewa sighs and heads over to the elevator doors pushing the down button. The twin doors slide open and he walks in. Using the card reader, he swipes the keycard and pushes the button marked Sub-Level 3. The doors close and the elevator begins its descent.

Iysis skated down the stairs quickly till she came across a large military font printed "3" on the wall next to a door. She glanced over the door and noticed the keypad. Without the card Lewa had, there was no easy way in. Iysis grinned, despite the security; she has broken into places like this before. Her hand biotically charges and she smashes the keypad, shorting it, making sparks flicker and leap free. A malfunction screen popped up.

"Please enter override code," a artificial womanly voice spoke.

"Well, since you said please."

Iysis remembering a code from the monitor screen before punched in "4311."

The screen blinked yellow as it started unraveling the command then turned green.

"Access Granted, Welcome." The sound of mechanical locks behind the doors started to wind and click, popping the door open.

Iysis cautiously opens the door and peers out from behind it. The air was dark and cold and,

"Damp?" she mutters to herself confused as she pulls her fingers from the door, something wet coating them.

The lights flicker on at the presence of a being and Iysis almost gags. The room was harboring cylindrical tubes filled with green mucus like fluid, judging by one of the tubes that had already been shattered. She steps forward and shakes her hand free of the liquid when an eerie thought comes to mind. All of the tubes had some sort of body floating in them, connected to wiring and monitors except- "KLANK!" Iysis eyes darted to her right. A silver cup had rolled off a medical table and hit the ground. Iysis took a deep breath and let the door seal behind her. She watched everywhere, carefully.

She reaches for the right side of her hip with her left hand and grips the hilt of her custom made weapon. It was a baton that could effectively disorient and knock out someone if properly used instead of killing them, with electricity. The room was elongated and rectangular with either side lined up with the cylinders and four medical tables with various surgical tools spread out on them, in front of her. A shadowy figure passed her peripheral vision and she spun to her left, hand held out to her right, keeping no chances for openings. There was nothing. She cautiously walked over to the lockers at the far left of the wall which was situated by another door. As she moved forward she kept her back parallel to the wall.

"Iysis!"

Iysis screamed and covered her mouth, her back slamming unintentionally into the lockers, her heart racing a mile a minute. The voice had come over her omni-tool. It was Lennata.

"Iysis what the hell-"

"Hush!"

"Don't you tell me to hush, you just screamed in my ear! When I get a hold of-"

"Hush!"

There was a long pause. Iysis saw it, or at least part of "it." A small human like leg scooted out of view as quickly as it could behind one of the medical tables, the owner of the leg obscured.

"Okay I waited long enough. Tell me what's going on."

"Can you go one minute without nagging on me, I'm fine, go pick on Lewa for a while now."

"Nagging on you? We are on a mission and you're going to say I'm nag-"

Iysis dialed a few buttons and muted Lennata. Iysis walked forward and listened intently.

**-Transmission End-**

"She!" Lennata turned to Lyra in disbelief, "She!" she turned back to her omni-tool fiddling with it rapidly,"She hung up on me!"

Lennata growled as she tried to find a way to grant communication with Iysis. She cursed under her breath when she found none.

"Lewa!" she shouted into the earpiece. "Are you with Iysis now? Have you found her? She is going to jeopardize this mission!"

Lyra yawned a little, "You asked her to prove herself, well here is a great opportunity for her to do that. And if you keep messing with that omni-tool of yours any longer I'm going to start suspecting you actually are worrying about her."

Lennata immediately stopped and looked at Lyra.

"What! No! I just- she!" Lennata found herself unable to articulate words correctly.

She paused and took a breath, loosening her tongue in her mouth.

"She is going to jeopardize this whole mission."

Lyra shakes her head, "Actually, her idea to go 'exploring' will help us in the long run. Who knows? She might find something useful. So quit your bitching and let's keep moving"

Lennata folds her arms, "We're just now going into part of this mission unprepared-"

Lyra motions for her to be quiet. She points upwards at a sign. "Floor 54" the sign reads. She crouches at the corner of the hallway and peers around the corner. A small group of guards sit crowded around two large metal doors. CEO - Kalista Troia reads on a plaque above the door frame.

Lyra turns back to Lennata. "Guards ahead. I've got a plan. When I give you the signal, back me up."

Lennata hesitates, "Wait, what sig….." Before she can finish, Lyra rolls out of cover and strikes the ground with her biotics, sending a powerful shockwave rolling down the hallway. Not missing a beat, she dashes after the wave, rifle in hand.

Lennata had now completely lost her flow. She hated being unprepared, and the stunt that Iysis pulled had left too many variables open.

Lennata gritted her teeth, "I'll just have more of the pleasure of explaining that to her myself."

Lennata watched Lyra and then looked up. She noticed catwalks above probably for vent maintenance and biotic charged up to them. As she watched Lyra below a small smile crept upon her face. It reminded her of when she was being chased by Lewa. She launched a biotic pull at the door, ripping the door from its hinges, and collapsing it onto the guards.

Lyra smiles as she runs.

'_Good girl'_, she thinks to herself as the combination of the two opposing biotic forces decimates the security forces. Sprinting over the fallen doors she slides into the room rifle in hand searching for a target.

An asari with dark blue skin sits behind a large old-fashioned oak desk. She gives off an air of superiority as she gives Lyra a cold stare and a sneer.

"What is the meaning of this?", she asks coldly. "You really think you'll get away with whatever you're doing?"

Lyra aims the rifle. "I'm a spectre. I'm above any kind of laws or crimes you'd try to pin on me"

"A spectre? Hmm. Then I guess there's no reason to play games. I was told you might be coming. I must admit though, I expected a bigger team. Let's be honest, two people? Hardly enough for a security force like mine."

Lennata leaps down from the cat walk, biotics reducing her fall as she sets lightly back onto the ground. She steps onto the makeshift carpet made out from the door and walks beside Lyra.

"You say that but we've already dealt with your welcoming committee and your door men, in fact they've now effectively made it their job to be the floor mat."

Lennata watches the Asari for a moment, classifying her to be no threat against the two of them.

"I want answers Kalista", Lyra asks calmly. "Who is Hyperion?"

Lennata stops at this. "Lyra, what are you talking about?"

Lyra shakes her head, "Not now."

Kalista gives the pair an evil grin. "You really think you can stop him? A single spectre against the might of Hyperion?"

Lennata raises her Phalanx at Kalista. "Will someone tell me what's going on here?"

Kalista glances over their shoulders.

"Skorch, would you show them out, the hard way if you would."

The floor shakes as a hulking figure approaches from behind. Lyra never wavers, but Lennata turns to face the newcomer. Black armor glints in the light of the overhead lamps. Its not until the Krogan gets closer that she notices the dark red that complements the black. But the most terrifying part is not his size or his stature; it's the tongues of flames that dance over his body.

Kalista rises from her seat and pushes a button on her desk. A door opens on the side of the wall, leading to a stairwell.

Lyra turns to Lennata with a sly smile, "I'll handle the bitch, you take care of the walking oven."

Lyra turns to the CEO and gives her a murderous look. "Time we had a talk."

Kalista turns on her heel and flees out the door. Lyra dashes forward and barely makes it before the door hisses shut.

Disregarding the fleeing SPECTRE, Skorch holds out his arm and the "inferno" billows forth at the surprised hunter. She back flips away, noticing the deep purple hues to the blaze.

"Wait, are those biotics?"

Skorch smiles in appreciation, "Ah, so you've noticed my unique talent. Good, scare tactics are so dishonorable."

Lennata pauses at those words. "Hmm….a noble krogan…that's not something you see every day."

The battlemaster nods, "My clan never understood why I chose honor over them. But the only remnant I carry are the fires from that day."

He raises his arms and the fire becomes more intense, radiating out from his armor.

"My brothers died that day, the flames left their mark upon me."

Lennata feels an odd sense of kinship to this warrior. The air around Skorch ripples as he warps in front of her, arms raised to strike

Moving with lightning-fast reflexes, she rolls out from under his arms, coming up on his right side. A flurry of punches rain down on his side…..but to no avail.

"Nice try, young one. But your punches need a little more "oomph" to them. Fiery tendrils coil and flicker their way out from his side.

_'great, this again'_ Thinking fast, she throws a warp field out striking the fire.

The conflicting forces detonate with the force of a small bomb, knocking both combatants back. Lennata slams into Kalista's desk while the krogan barely flinches

He begins to walk towards her once more to finish her. She lowers her hands to her pistols.

"Why work for someone like this? You have to be aware of what they do here."

The krogan bows his head in shame. "I have no choice. It is the only way I can help those in need here."

"HOW is helping slavers and monsters supposed to help people?"

"The deal is that we don't deal in children. The young should never be exposed to this."

Lennata is taken aback, his voice rings with the truth. The Krogan has been manipulated _'Maybe he can help….if I can convince him'_

"Is that really what they told you? They're lying to you Skorch!"

The krogan's flames dim suddenly. "….what?"

"They are lying to you! Children are being experimented on here! If you don't believe me, my "colleague" is down on Sub-level 3 right now, you can see for yourself."

Skorch brings his hands up to his scarred visage. "How could I have been so blind?"

The fists clench in rage, he throws back his head and roars! As if responding to his emotions, the inferno expands out throwing or crushing anything it touches. Lennata backs against the wall, the fires dangerously close to her face.

"Skorch! Please! Control yourself!"

The warrior takes a deep breath, controlling his breathing.

The fires once again respond to his will, retreating back to whence they came. Skorch lowers his gaze to the asari, "I'm sorry. The fire can be…..difficult."

The sleek hunter steps forward cautiously.

"I need your help. Do you know where that stairwell comes out?"

The Krogan nodded and turns out the door walking down the hall to the elevators. Shoving his hands deep into the seam, the old soldier wrenches them open. He stops, putting a hand to his earpiece.

"Security is on the way up. What's the plan?"

Lennata steps past the krogan leaping onto the cable. "Meet you at the bottom."

"Just remember that if you're lying to me Asari, we'll have to finish our quarrel soon." The Krogan calls after Lennata.

Lennata pushes the matter aside for now as she suspends herself from the cable, wrapping her left leg around it, freeing her hands, the guards in the elevator below unsuspecting of the terror above. Pistols out, she opens fire as she goes into freefall, legs providing balance on the cable as she slides.


End file.
